President Obama To Appeal To Public On Fiscal Cliff

WASHINGTON (AP) - President Barack Obama plans to make a public case this week for his strategy for dealing with the looming fiscal cliff, traveling to the Philadelphia suburbs Friday as he pressures Republicans to allow tax increases on the wealthy while extending tax cuts for families earning $250,000 or less.

Obama's visit to a small business in Hatfield, Pa., that makes parts for a construction toy company will cap a week of public outreach as the White House and congressional leaders negotiate a way to avoid tax increases and deep spending cuts scheduled to being taking effect Jan. 1.

At the White House, the president will meet with small business owners on Tuesday and middle-class Americans on Wednesday.